Infected
by Robot Pony
Summary: Applejack was hard at work at the farm with something bit her. Was it just a bug bite, or something more sinister? Follow along with Applejack and her friends as they struggle through their strained friendships. Loosely based on a book of the same name.
1. Chapter 1

"Applebloom, come help me feed the chickens while I gather the eggs." Applejack trotted by the barn, carrying a basket in her mouth. Applebloom hopped out of the barn and followed her big sister close at her heels. "Now Applebloom, don't be gettin' underhoof now, you hear?"

"Sorry Applejack," she slowed her pace down, then changed her mind and ran ahead. As Applebloom started shoveling out the chicken feed, Applejack went inside the hutch and started to gather the eggs.

Suddemly, something bit Applejack on the back of her neck. "Ouch!" she yelped in surprise, dropping the basket. The eggs oozed all over the floor, cracked in pieces. "Well gosh darn it," she scolded herself, then cleaned up her mess with her bandana. "Now my bandana is ruined and we don't have enough eggs to make Granny Smith's birthday cake. Shoot..."

Applebloom popped her head into the hutch. "The chickens are all fed now!" she said cheerfully.

Applejack gave the little pony a smile. "Thanks Applebloom. Now you run along inside and keep Granny company while I finish up in here."

"Okay!" Applebloom skipped off, humming as she went.

Apple jack raised her hoof and rubbed the spot behind her neck. It was tender and sore. "Must have been a flea." she figured, nodding to comfort herself. She lowered her head down and picked up the basket of broken eggs, then exited the hutch. She went over to the pigs' stall and tossed the basket over the fence. At once, the pigs hurried over to the mess and chowed down.

Applejack turned and went into the house. Applebloom and Granny Smith stood in the kitchen, a blender whirling loudly on the countertop between them.

"What are you two making?" Applejack asked.

"Granny doesn't got any teeth no more so we're making her a smoothie!" said Applebloom loudly over the noise. "It's got carrots and apples and lots of healthy stuff inside it."

Granny turned off the blender and shakily tried to pour the mixture into a glass.

"Whoa now, Granny," Applejack hurried over and took the blender. "Let me help you." She poured the drink into two glasses and put the blender in the sink. "There y'all go."

Applebloom and Granny raised their glasses and clinked them together. "Cheers!"

The pain in Applejack's neck flashed, causing her to gasp. She lifted her hoof and picked at the bite mark. It felt swollen and even more tender than before. Something about the mark felt... unnatural. It felt wrong.

"Why, Applejack," said Applebloom. "Don't you want to try a sip?"

"Not this time, sugar." Applejack backed out of the house. "I have a lot of catching up I have to do..." she turned and fled the scene, running towards the apple orchards. Once there, she hid herself behind some trees and sighed. She twisted herself and attempted to look at the swollen mark, but it was useless. Having a second thought, Applejack trotted over to the lake and tried looking at that mark that way. But, again, it was useless.

"I wonder if Twilight knows of a way to get rid of this," Applejack mumbled. "It could just be a little bite mark, but it's better to be safe than sorry." With that, the pony hurried down the road and headed down to Ponyville.

Back at the library, Twilight Sparkle was helping Spike pick out an outfit. The dragon planned to go visit Rarity and it was important that he look his best. Books around them sat on shelves, gathering dust.

"Okay, I'm ready!" Spike started to march towards the front door.

"Hold on, Spike!" Twilight stopped him with her magic, lifting him and bringing him closer. "I still need to put on your bowtie."

Spike stood up straight, puffing out his chest. "You think Rarity will compliment me on how handsome I am?"

Twilight chuckled. But before she could vocalize her thoughts, the door banged open and there stood Applejack, her mane tangled and her coat shiny with sweat. "Twilight," she said heavily. "I need your help- pronto."

"Goodness, Applejack, what's going on?" asked Twilight as she hurried over to her friend.

"It's the darnest thing!" Applejack took off her hat. "Some critter bit me right on the back of my neck and it's been bothering the mess out of me. Do you see it?"

"Yes, I see it." Twilight squinted at it for a moment, then stepped back. "But I don't see why you came to me for assistance. I'm not a nurse."

"No, but I trust your opinion above anyone else's. No offense to the others... Isn't there something you can do with your magic?" asked Applejack.

"I can preform a soothing spell that might lessen the pain." Twilight replied slowly "Are you in a lot of pain...?"

"Between 1 and 5 I'd say I'm about a 4." Applejack shivered. "Shoot, is it hot in here or is it just me?"

"Let me look at it again..." Twilight lifted a hoof and touched around the mark. "Does it hurt when I do this?"

"No."

Twilight gently touched the mark.

"Ouch!" yelped Applejack, backing up quickly. "What'd you do that for?"

"I'm sorry!" Twilight winced. "I'll preform a soothing spell now."

"Forget it. I dont want your help!" Applejack barked. "I can figure this out on my own. Goodbye!" Applejack left, slamming the door behind her.

"She sure is uptight this afternoon," said Spike, crossing his arms.

"Hush, Spike," Twilight walked up to the window and watched Applejack vanish in the distance. "She's obviously in a lot of pain. I should have checked to see if she had a fever..."

"Don't worry about her, Twilight." said Spike. "I'm sure she's going to see Nurse Redheart."

"Spike you can't just tell me to stop worrying; she's my friend." Twilight sighed. "I'm going after her."

"What? How come?" Spike went around and stood in front of Twilight, blocking her path. "She just told you she didnt want your help."

"That's what makes this whole scenario so weird, Spike." Twilight jumped over Spike and opened the front door. "I'm going to solve this mystery. With or without your help."

"I guess I'll tag along too..." Spike said, climbing onto her back.

"Trust in me, Spike. That's all I ask."

The dragon nodded and clung to her mane. "I trust you."

"Thank you. Now let's go find Applejack."


	2. Chapter 2

Applejack laid down in the shade of a tree, lightly panting. Her neck ached as if somepony was digging a knife in her wound. Her sides heaved in and out as she gasped for air. The shade didn't seem to be helping her cool off. She laid in the grass in misery, chiding herself.

"Look at yourself; being crippled by a bug bite. Hah!" Applejack," she scolded herself. "Now stop this bellyaching. She lowered her face into the grass and nibbled on it., as if she had forgotten what grass tasted like. She then got to her hooves and looked around. She hadn't been paying attention after she left Twilight's; she was very close to Everfree Forest.

The bite on her neck pulsed with a heartbeat of it's own; Applejack sensed this and it drove her crazy: Was this thing inside her really alive...?

"What if it's a maggot growing under my skin?" Applejack muttered to herself, her eyes wide with imagination, her mouth twisted down in horror. "Or a wasp is building it's nest and laying eggs inside me! Or- or-"

"Applejack! There you are." Twilight trit-trotted over, smiling. "I'm sorry about before. But I can't stay away from you knowing you're in pain. Please. Let me help you."

"Oh so now you want to help me?" snorted Applejack. "Well my rejection still stands; I dont want your help."

"But don't you want to find out what's wrong?" asked Spike.

"I know what's wrong. It's jsut a bug bite. That's it. Now y'all two skiddadle." Applejack turned and marched off.

Twilight bit her lip. "But Applejack!"

"No buts! I mean it." Applejack kicked up speed and ran down the streets of Ponyville. "Those ponies don't know that no means no." Applejack rolled her eyes.

"No ...means no..." whispered a voice in her head.

"Darn right!" said Applejack. By now, her head was begining to ache, along with her stomach from stress and hunger. "Boy, I could sure use a cool drink of water."

"Water...cool..."

"Wait, what?" Applejack shut her mouth tight and looked around. Who was talking to her? She strained her ears and looked around slowly, but everypony she saw was simply going about their business. She was being ignored, as if she was invisible.

"Invisible..." whispered the voice.

With a sudden jolt of fear, Applejack slung her hat off and twisted around, glaring at the spot on her neck. "Is that you I'm hearin'?!" she cried.

"Yes...we hear...you...too..."

"W-we...?" Applejack sucked in a breath, then screamed. Ponies from all around dropped their shopping bags and stared open-mouthed at Applejack. All at once, the ponies began talking, whispering, pointing, frowning.

"Are you okay? Are you okay?" asked the ponies, stepping closer to Applejack. "Are you okay?"

"Areyouokayareyouokay?" whispered the voice in her head.

Applejack longed to have wings at this moment; to be able to lift off the ground and fly away from this madness.

"No wings..." said the voice, reminding her.

Applejack turned and fled the town, running, running, from what? She had no idea. She was a spooked little pony and was certainly going to act like one. However, she had to skid to an abrupt hslt as Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie stood in her way- along with a collection of raccoons.

"Oh, uh... Howdy Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy." Applejack forced a grin.

"Friends...?" breathed the inner voice.

"Hello Applejack." replied Fluttershy politely. "Pinkie Pie and I are going to have a picnic with this family of raccoons. Would you like to join us?"

Applejack made sure her ponytail covered the back of her neck, then answered, "Mighty fine of you to ask, Fluttershy, but I have to... Uh.. Take care of some personal business."

"Okay. Some other time then." Fluttershy started walking off and Pinkie Pie followed behind the raccoons, bouncing on her toes. "This is going to be so much fun!" cried Pinkie Pie.

Applejack ran off, followig a path towards home. But the closer she got, the slower she became until she finally quit walking all together. "I can't go back... Not with this- thing- growing inside me..."

"Are we thing...?" asked the voice.

"Darn right! I dont know what else to call ya."

"We are called seeds..."

Applejack flinched. She knew all about seeds, growing up on a farm. And if that thing clamined to be a seed, then it wasn't done growing. "What's with this we business?" Applejack demanded. "Far as I know there's only one of you."

"There will be more..."

"Not while I'm still kicking and breathing." Applejack dug a hoof into the ground. She thought of all the ponies she knew in Ponyville and decided that she must visit Rarity; she had a mirror, a pair of scissors, and plenty of make up. If anyone could remove an ugly blemish, she could.

Once she arrived at Rarity's house, Applejack was sweating all over again. The pain in her neck was getting worse than ever. But soon, she reminded herself, it will all be over.

"Not over... We will blossom..." hissed the voice.

"That's what I'm afraid of." Applejack knocked on the front door and Rarity answered it almost at once.

"Oh dear," Rarity blinked at her. "Darling, you're mess! Hard day at the farm, I reckon- I mean, I suppose?"

"I need to borrow your mirror." Applejack said, pushing by the pony and striding right up to the mirror. She pulled her ponytail braid aside and twisted around. At last, she was able to see the little invaded under her skin. It was a round, slimy looking object with a white dot in the center. Applejack squinted hard at the object.

The white part of the blob moved, meeting Applejack's eyes; it was then that Applejack realized what she was looking at.

"I see you..." breathed the voice.

Applejack screamed, rearing up fantastically and kicking rols of fabric to the floor.

"Goodness gracious!" Rarity ran over and tried to calm her friend down. "What on earth os the matter?"

"An eye!" Applejack cried. "It's an eyeball!"

"What is an eyeball?" Rarity frowned slightly. "I dont underst-"

Applejack settled down and backed up in front of Rarity. "Under my mane." she said weakly. "Look at it! It's been chewing at me all day!"

Rarity lifted Applejack's mane and looked down at the squishy black eyeball. "It sure looks... exotic... But are you certain it's a living thing? It's not just some bruise you obtained on the farm during a work incident?"

"Aw, shucks, not you too!" groaned Applejack. "This thing speaks to me, Rarity, as true as you and I are speaking right now. Now I got to get this thing out of me! You will help me, right Rarity? It would be so awfully kind of you."

"You wish for that... thing.. to be removed?" asked Rarity. "Do you really think I'm the pony for such a messy task?"

"You just gotta help me out, Rarity! You've gotta!"

"All right, Applejack..." sighed the other pony. "I'll see what I can do. Come over here by the 360 mirror and stay put; I'll go get the scissors."

Applejack sighed in relief, standing where she was instructed. Things were going just as she planned. Soon she would be back to normal.

"Other seeds will fall..." spoke the voice quietly. "We will bloom..."

"Not while I'm in charge." snapped Applejack.

"We could kill you...Then we be in charge..."

"Kill me? Hah! How could a tiny little thing-"

"WE ARE NOT THING. WE ARE SEEDS. WE WILL BLOOM."

Applejack covered her head with her hooves, cringing. The pain in the back of her neck increased, which in turn caused everything else to hurt as well. Was this all because of the little seed...? Applejack opened her mouth and yelled, "Stop it! Stop it! I'm sorry, all right!"

Rarity ran over with scissors in her mouth. "What is wrong, Applejack, dear?" she asked wildly.

"WE WILL KILL YOU." the voices yelled internally.

"O-on second thought..." Applejack hesitsted, her head swimming with nausea. "I dont need surgery after all. I'm all better! Thanks a bunch." She turned and ran out the door.


End file.
